The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the last quarter of my senior year. It’s surreal to know I’ll never walk the halls of Rock Island High School again. It baffles me to think about the fact that while walking out of school on the last day before spring break, I had absolutely no idea it was my last day of high school. The abrupt ending of my high school career, while saddening, has made me deeply appreciate the little things I’ll never get to experience again. 

I wish I could participate in the big, important events like the spring musical, Prom, and graduation, but I miss the little things the most. I won’t be able to goof off with my friends in AP Euro, while we’re supposed to be taking notes or doing work ever again. I won’t ever get to enjoy a homemade muffin with Larissa as we run to avoid being late to fourth period. I won’t ever get to complete an AP Bio lab, even if my partner Olivia and I always managed to mess them up somehow. I’ll never get to see Rudy in the hallway and laugh at his recurring joke that I’m, “skipping class again.” I won’t get to hear about how my friends’ Julia’s and Miranda’s days have been so far at our lockers after lunch. I’ll never again laugh until my stomach hurts in the music library with Eleanor while Mr. Tollenaer silently judges us. I’ll miss walking down the band hallway and waving at Mrs. Greenwood and Mrs. Hayek every day. I’ll never get to work on a yearbook page while sitting next to my friends Morgan and Anna ever again, or snap pictures for Ms. Miers’ journalism class. I’ll never get to scream-sing Hey Baby with my flutes at a basketball game again. I’ll never meet my best friend Zoe at her locker at the end of the day and gossip while we walk to our cars together. There are so many seemingly small aspects of school I took for granted every day, and now will never get to experience again. 

The postponements of certain events that were supposed to be the best of my high school career are saddening. Despite the sorrow, I appreciate the numerous great memories I made at Rocky. I look back on the small moments, and hold them close to my heart. Events like graduation and Prom are events nearly every person attends, but the little moments I loved at Rocky are unique and personal. Not everyone gets to make the memories I did, or have as amazing of friends and teachers as I did. When I get sad about the events my class is missing out on, I recall all the seemingly miniscule experiences that shaped my high school career and I feel so grateful. As Taylor Swift once said, “Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you.” I cherish the good times I spent at Rock Island High School, and hope I still get to say my final goodbyes someday in the future.